Roadside Tale

12:06
This is a brand new experience for me. I am typing this blog entry on my cell phone, while waiting for a tow truck. The waiting for a wrecker part isn't new. I wish. The blogging from my mobile computing/communications device is. We'll see how it goes.

I was giving my friend Mikey a lift to work this morning. As we pulled out of his driveway, we heard a loud crash, got out of my Explorer and saw the flat. I pulled back into his drive and called AAA while Mike called for another ride. Mike offered to let me wait on his place and lock up, but I insisted I could wait on the porch. Right after he left, Triple-A called and said the tow truck might take two hours. And so I wait and blog...

12:37 Update
The tow truck actually took only about an hour from when I originally called. The driver, a friendly guy whose name I never got, took good care of me. Now I sit at National Tire & Battery, a $300 estimate swimming in my cranium. Again, the guy at the counter here was friendly and personal. He also happens to be the manager, Mike Pharion.

Let's see how the whole affair plays out.

3:06 Update 2
It's just after 3:00 p.m. and I just got home from NTB. Apparently, the sway bar in my front end has been loose for some time and every time I turned, it dug into one of my front tires. I had to have both tires replaced and the sway bar repaired, to the tune of just over $400.

The guys at NTB were awesome. At 1:30, after learning that the repairs would take at least another hour, I went next door to Eat'n Park and had lunch. As I left, I picked up a dozen of their "Smiley" cookies to give to the guys at the garage. Always take care of the people who take care of you, sez I.

I also learned that I need rear brakes and a right-front ball joint replacement. Joy. Oh, and the shocks are on their last legs. Those things will have to wait for another day. For this holiday weekend, I no longer have any disposable income, so I guess I'll just hang out with Jake and chill. There are worse fates.

It's amazing how running into nice, upbeat people can make a dreadful situation seem, well, less dreadful. I'm home, I'm safe and other than being poorer, I'm no worse for the wear. The tow driver from Phil's Towing and Mike from NTB kept me from getting angry or frustrated. I wish every bad situation could resolve like this one.